MAIN SEAPORTS

Port of Port of Spain
Port of Point Lisas
Scarborough Deep Water Harbour

LOCATED

at the gateway to the Caribbean, the Republic of Trinidad
and Tobago is renowned for its industrialised, energy export-driven
economy, vibrant culture and multiethnic society. T&T is a leading
regional economy with an international presence in the oil and gasbased
energy industry, and a profitable and productive services
sector. T&T is also pursuing a policy of economic diversification and
is investing in several other sectors. Trade, investment and innovation
are also policy priorities of this two-island nation as it continues its
path to development.

GEOGRAPHY AND LOCATION

Trinidad

Once attached to the South American mainland,
Trinidad is situated at 12 km (7 miles) northeast
of the coast of Venezuela and is separated
from it by the Gulf of Paria. Trinidad has three
mountain ranges — the Northern Range, the
Central Range and the Southern Range. The
highest point, El Cerro del Aripo, is 940 metres
(3,084 ft) above sea level. About 40% of all
land is undeveloped forest and woodlands,
although the island is experiencing rapid
development. Trinidad’s Pitch Lake is the largest
natural reservoir of asphalt in the world.

Tobago lies 34 km (21 miles) northeast of
Trinidad. Of volcanic origin, the island is a single
mountain mass, although the south-west is flat
or undulating and coralline. The highest peak,
the Main Ridge, reaches an elevation of about
576 metres (1,890 ft). The coastline is broken
up by inlets and sheltered beaches, and there are
several uninhabited islets.

Total Area:

300 sq km (116 sq miles)

Location:

Latitude 11.5° N
Longitude 60.5° W

TIME ZONE

Greenwich Mean Time: Minus four hours (GMT -4)

In US Winter: Eastern Standard Time plus one hour (EST +1)

In US Summer: Eastern Standard Time (EST)

There is no Daylight Saving Time (DST).

CLIMATE

Trinidad and Tobago has a tropical climate and
two distinct seasons: dry, from January to May
and wet, from June to December. There is a short
dry period around mid-September called Petit
Carême. Trinidad and Tobago are just outside the
usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms,
but Tobago can experience inclement weather as
a result of such weather systems.

GOVERNMENT

Trinidad and Tobago’s government is a parliamentary democracy.
The head of state is the President, who is elected by an Electoral
College of members of the Senate and House of Representatives for
a five-year term. Executive power, however, is vested in the Prime
Minister and Government, following elections every five years. The
local government body in Tobago is the Tobago House of Assembly
and its seat is in the capital city, Scarborough.

ECONOMIC DATA

Declining economic activity in the second
half of 2016 dominated the energy sector.
Weaknesses were manifested in contractions
in crude oil, natural gas, LNG and petrochemical
production which outweighed increases in
petroleum refining. Latest figures show natural
gas production fell by 15.4% in the second half
of 2016. The decline was a result of a drop in
production from bpTT, however, production from
bpTT’s Juniper platform should boost natural gas
supplies and the energy sector on the whole in
the latter part of 2017.

Growth in the non-energy sectors such as
distribution, construction and manufacturing
contracted in Q3, 2016. Manufacturing activity
declined by 4.3% and this is attributable to lower
chemicals and assembly-type output. There was
a reduction in electricity generation at the end of
2016 as electricity and water output declined by
3.7%. The closure of ArcelorMittal, the largest
single industrial consumer of electricity, is linked
to this development. The finance, insurance and
real estate subsectors rose by 0.8% on account
of an increase in commercial banking but there
was a decline in activity in trust companies, real
estate and mutual funds. The agriculture sector
increased by 0.4 %.

MEETING PLACES AND
CONFERENCE CENTRES

Trinidad and Tobago is one of the top
five Caribbean meeting and conference
destinations. Many hotels have facilities for
conferences, including international brands
such as the Hyatt Regency Trinidad and
the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre.
In addition, the state-of-the-art National
Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA),
South Academy for the Performing Arts,
award-winning spots like Coco Reef and the
Magdalena Grand Beach Resort in Tobago are
ideal for corporate meetings and team-building
retreats. Trinidad and Tobago hosted 29,449
business travellers during the first half of 2017.

LEGAL SYSTEM

The legal system is based on common law
and statutes. The judicial system comprises
magistrates’ courts and the Supreme Court,
which is made up of the High Court and the
Court of Appeal. There is a separate Industrial
Court that deals with most labour matters. The
Judicial and Legal Service Commission appoints
judges of the Supreme Court. The Attorney
General is responsible for the administration
of the legal and judicial system. Final appeal
from Trinidad and Tobago courts is to the
Privy Council in England, but consideration
is being given to replacing the Privy Council
with the Caribbean Court of Justice, which
was inaugurated in April 2005, with its
headquarters located in Port of Spain.www.ag.gov.tt/www.legalaffairs.gov.tt/www.moj.gov.tt/

EDUCATION

The educational system is based on the British
system and produces one of the highest
standards of education in the Caribbean.
Primary and secondary level education at
most institutions is free, but private school
options are available for a fee.
Post-secondary and tertiary education
providers include The University of the
West Indies (UWI), the College of Science,
Technology & Applied Arts of Trinidad &
Tobago (COSTAATT), distance learning
tertiary-level institutions, vocational/
technical training schools and colleges, the
technology-based University of Trinidad and
Tobago (UTT), and the National Institute
of Higher Education, Research, Science and
Technology (NIHERST).

HEALTH

Trinidad and Tobago’s health system consists of
government-funded and private hospitals, wellqualified
specialists, private medical practitioners
and clinics scattered throughout the islands.
Specialists trained in gynaecology, paediatrics,
radiology, physiotherapy, cardiology, gastrology,
urology and orthopaedics work both in private
practice and healthcare facilities.
Medical services are free at the governmentfunded
institutions and clinics, but a fee is charged
at all others. Twenty-four-hour emergency
services are available at several government and
private medical facilities. There is also a 24-hour
Emergency Air Ambulance Service. www.health.gov.tt/

PUBLIC UTILITIES

Electricity

Trinidad and Tobago has a reliable supply of
electricity with rates still among the lowest in the
Caribbean. The domestic and commercial supply
voltage is 110/220 volts, 60 cycles. The Trinidad
and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) is
the agency responsible for T&T’s electrical supply. www.ttec.co.tt/

Water

The Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad
and Tobago (WASA), a state enterprise, is the
sole provider of water and wastewater services
in Trinidad and Tobago. www.wasa.gov.tt/

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

The Telecommunications and Broadcasting
sectors generated an estimated TT$5.6
billion (US$836.0 million) in 2016, which as
a percentage of GDP equates to 3.8%. This
represented a 0.3% decrease in total revenues
generated by this industry compared to last year.
Total Telecom revenues increased by 2% while
total broadcasting revenues decreased by 11%.
TSTT has, for many years, been the major
provider of landline and mobile telephone
services. Digicel offers mobile and cable television
to both islands and has also introduced fixed
line and domestic wireless services. Flow offers
cable television, internet and landline telephone
services. With broad coverage throughout the
islands, mobile phones are an easy and available
option. Wireless Internet services are readily
available at hotels and cybercafés. International Access Code: 1 Country Code: 868
1. Fixed Internet Subscriptions 255,600
2. Mobile Internet Subscriptions 707,300 http://tatt.org.tt/

POST/COURIER SERVICES

Regular mail, express mail and courier delivery
are reliable and available from local provider
TTPost at excellent rates. International courier
services are efficient and readily available. www.ttpost.net/

IMMIGRATION, WORK PERMITS & VISAS

Visitors to Trinidad and Tobago must possess
valid passports and return or ongoing tickets
for successful entry. Most Commonwealth
countries do not require visas for entry, except
Australia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New
Guinea, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Cameroon, Fiji
Islands, Mozambique, Uganda and South
Africa. For business travel and vacations
lasting 90 days or less (within a 180-day
period) European Union citizens do not
need visas for entry. The same applies for
nationals from non-European Union Schengen
countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and
Switzerland). Holders of CARICOM passports,
with the exception of Haiti, do not require
visas. Visitors from several other countries
are allowed to enter Trinidad and Tobago for
periods of up to three months without a visa. www.immigration.gov.tt/
Work permits are required for business stays
beyond 30 days. Visa extensions can be
obtained from the Immigration Office at
67 Frederick Street, Port of Spain, while work
permits can be obtained from the Ministry of
National Security, Temple Court II,
52-60 Abercromby Street, Port of Spain. www.nationalsecurity.gov.tt

TRANSPORTATION

Airports

Piarco International Airport is located about
45 minutes from the capital city, Port of
Spain. It plays an important role as a vital hub
for international air traffic in the Caribbean.
There are non-stop daily scheduled flights to
and from major international cities.
Trinidad and Tobago’s national airline,
Caribbean Airlines, serves Toronto,
New York, Miami, Jamaica, Saint Maarten,
Antigua, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago,
Guyana and Suriname. International and
regional airlines that fly to Trinidad and
Tobago include American Airlines,
British Airways, Caribbean Airlines,
United Airlines, West Jet, JetBlue, LIAT and
several charter flight companies. International
flights are also available direct from Tobago’s
ANR Robinson International Airport. www.tntairports.com/

ROADS

Trinidad and Tobago has an extensive
transportation network of paved roads.
Highways link the north and south of the island
(Uriah Butler Highway, Solomon Hochoy
Highway), and the east and west (Churchill-
Roosevelt Highway). Traffic is extremely
heavy at peak hours when a high number of
vehicles head into and out of the capital city
and environs. Driving is on the left-hand side. www.mowt.gov.tt/ www.ptsc.co.tt/

Seaports

The main seaports are located in Port of Spain
and Point Lisas. The Port of Port of Spain
handles dry and general cargo, break bulk,
containers and passenger traffic. The Point
Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation
Ltd. (PLIPDECO), mainly a bulk port for
industrial commerce, also handles container
and general cargo traffic. There are ferries
travelling the inter-island route daily.Port of Spain Ferry:(868) 625-4906/3055Tobago Ferry: (868) 639-2417/4906
The CARICOM Jetty, which is located
at the Port of Port of Spain and operates
the passenger inter-island ferry, receives,
stores and delivers CARICOM cargo and
multipurpose containers for trade within the
Caribbean region.
A water taxi ferry connects Port of Spain
and San Fernando. Scheduled sailing times
are Monday to Friday. Tickets cost TT$15
one-way and can be purchased at the Water
Taxi Terminal located at Flat Rock, Lady
Hailes Avenue, San Fernando or the Cruise
Ship Complex, Port of Spain. Free parking
is available at both ports. There is a Public
Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) shuttle
service, which costs TT$3 through the city of
Port of Spain.
For further information visit: www.nidco.co.tt
or call 624-3281 (POS) or 800-4WTS (San Fernando)

CULTURE

The festivals, music, customs, cuisine, religions
and races of Trinidad and Tobago reflect a rich
and unique cultural diversity.
The nation has a passionate and colourful
history spanning five centuries. Festivals and
religious and cultural observances include
Divali (the Hindu Festival of Light),
Eid-ul-Fitr (Muslim religious day),
Emancipation Day, Indian Arrival Day and
Corpus Christi (Catholic). Trinidad and Tobago
Carnival is a world-famous event that brings
together artists, musicians, masqueraders and
revellers for a month-long celebration that
culminates in a two-day parade. www.culture.gov.tt/

ECO-TOURISM

Trinidad and Tobago, although relatively
distinct ecologically, are both blessed with
rich natural environments well suited for ecotourism.
Once part of the South American
mainland, Trinidad’s flora and fauna have
comingled, leading to a great density of plant
and animal types in a relatively small location.
Trinidad and Tobago has more than 97
mammal species, 400 bird species, 90 reptile
species, 30 amphibian species, 600 butterfly
species and over 2,100 species of flowering
plants. The island’s nature reserves attract
major international traffic from naturalists and
nature watchers. The terrain is just as diverse,
with tropical rainforests, mangrove swamps,
mountainous terrain and savannahs.
Bird watching is a major attraction in Tobago
as well, with Little Tobago island recognised as
one of the Caribbean’s top seabird sanctuaries.
Tobago is also a hub of aquatic tourism. The
waters off the island are a haven for wildlife,
an attraction for both divers and boat tourists.
Buccoo Reef (a large coral reef and protected
marine park) is a popular destination. Tobago’s
Main Ridge Forest is known to be the oldest
protected rainforest. www.gotrinidadandtobago.com// www.tourism.gov.tt/ www.insandoutstt.com